Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Partials Book Review

Annotation:
In
the year 2076, the world has been decimated after the Partials, genetically
engineered super soldiers, rebelled against their human creators with a deadly
virus known as RM. Now the human race is on the verge of extinction as every
newborn in the survivor settlement of East Meadow on Long Island succumbs to
the virus. Sixteen-year-old medic Kira Walker is determined to find a cure for
the virus, even if it means capturing and studying a Partial to do it.

Personal
thoughts: I was a bit worried that this novel would be irritatingly similar
to other dystopian books I’ve read recently when I heard what it was about, but
was pleasantly surprised that this was not the case. Although I definitely
recognized some concepts from other popular books, TV shows or movies, the
overlap didn’t bother me. In fact, I found the author’s take to be fresh and
interesting. One of my favorite parts of the novel was the presence of strong,
intelligent female protagonist, Kira. Not only is she described as beautiful,
she is also very smart, explaining the science of her research to the reader
and giving teen girl’s a positive role model who is proud of her knowledge and
uses it for a purpose she believes in. I’m looking forward to seeing how Kira
develops in the following installments, and can’t wait to read Fragments when it’s released in 2013.

Plot
summary: The year is 2076, and the world has been decimated after the
Partials, genetically engineered super soldiers, rebelled against their human
creators. Having replaced the world’s armies, humans were unable to defend
themselves when the Partials launched their attacks. It was a biological weapon,
a deadly virus known as RM, that managed to wipe out 99.9% of the world’s human
population. The Partials retreated after the RM plague and haven’t been seen
for eleven years, but now the human race is on the verge of extinction as every
newborn in the survivor settlement of East Meadow on Long Island succumbs to
the virus. The survivors themselves are inexplicably immune to RM, but the
inability to produce new generations threatens to put the final nail in the
coffin that was humanity. In response to this overwhelming problem, the
government of East Meadow created the Hope Act: a law that requires all women
age 18 and over to be pregnant at all times. Sixteen-year-old Kira Walker was
only five when RM was released, but she still remembers a time before every
infant died within hours of birth. Kira works as a medic in East Meadow
hospital’s maternity unit. Everyday she helps her fellow scientists try to
discover a cure for RM by studying the newborns before they quickly die. When
her best friend Madison becomes pregnant, however, Kira is determined that her
baby will live. Convinced that the answer to curing RM lies in the physiology
of the Partials, all of whom are immune to the virus, Kira sets out for the
deserted island of Manhattan with one mission: to bring a live Partial back to
East Meadow and find a cure.

Review: Continuing
the dystopian craze that seems to have taken over young adult literature is Dan
Wells’ Partials, the exciting and
well-written first installment in a new post-apocalyptic series for teens. A
cross between Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical
Garden trilogy, Battlestar Galactica and
Terminator, some common ideas (i.e.
the revolting robot/machine, world-ending plague, totalitarian government,
etc.) get a fresh and interesting take in this novel. From the beginning, it is
clear that the Partials, the human race’s enemy number one, are going to have a
role in curing the deadly RM virus. Unraveling exactly what that role will be
is one of the most intriguing parts of the story. The author does an excellent
job of creating an action packed plot, making Partials an ideal recommendation for male readers who want
something exciting. Teen girls will also find a lot to identify with in Kira,
the smart and dedicated scientist who is determined to save the life of her
best friend’s unborn baby. Unlike other dystopian novels, and young adult
novels in general, the romantic part of the novel takes a bit of a backseat to
the rest of the story. Readers might pick up on a potential future love triangle,
but the book isn’t particularly lovey-dovey, adding to its male appeal.
Overall, Partials is an enjoyable and
interesting beginning to a series with lots of potential. The sequel, Fragments, is set to be released in
2013.

Genre: Science-fiction

Reading
level: Grade 7+

Similar
titles: Eve by Anna Carey,
The Pledge by Kimberly Derting, The Chemical Garden trilogy by Lauren
DeStefano, The Eleventh Plague by
Jeff Hirsch, Legend by Marie Lu, Cinder by Marissa Meyer, Divergent by Veronica Roth.

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Welcome to my blog! I'm a librarian who loves to read...unusual, right? This blog contains my reviews and thoughts about the books I read, and other information for tweens, teens, parents, teachers, librarians and anyone else who loves books. Enjoy!